Mall Road connector approved by ODOT
November 18, 2015
Times Leader
ST. CLAIRSVILLE - The Mall Road Connector project took another step forward Tuesday.
The city of St. Clairsville and the Belmont County Transportation Improvement District announced that the Ohio Department of Transportation included the U.S. 40 Mall Area Connector Road in its list of projects to be recommended for funding. The list will be submitted to the Transportation Review Advisory Council. TRAC is the entity that approves all new highway projects for funding in Ohio.
ODOT suggested to TRAC that its approve $3.9 million for the project. TRAC will vote on ODOT's suggested list of projects in December.
Dennis Bigler, chairman of the TID and the city's service director, noted the process is highly competitive.
"TRAC received over $600 million of grant applications from around Ohio, especially from some of the largest urban areas in the state," said Bigler. "Only $33 million was available statewide to award, so we competed successfully against significant competition to gain the staff level recommendation."
The Belmont County Transportation Improvement District built the first section of the road earlier this year and then sought to cooperate with ODOT and TRAC to help fund the balance of the road. Mayor Robert Vincenzo, Belmont County commissioners, numerous development interests including Ohio Valley Mall owner the Cafaro Co., Equity of Columbus, Richland Township Trustee Greg Bizarri and others traveled to Columbus in September to support the project. Scott Hicks, director of Bel-O-Mar Regional Council, described the regional development and priority of the connector.
ODOT District 11 Deputy Director Lloyd MacAdam spoke about the area's oil and gas development and its impact on transportation in the District 11 region. Bigler made the case for the specific connector road project.
Grant funds obtained by the city in 2006 through a congressional appropriation of $6.3 million, along with a $1 million grant from Bel-O-Mar and other grant funds sought by the TID and Tax Increment Financing, assembled by the commissioners are expected to complete the project.
The connector begins at U.S. 40 at St. Clairsville's eastern corporation limit and winds north of Interstate 70 near the Lowe's store in the Ohio Valley Plaza. At that point, a new bridge will join and upgrade Mall Ring Road, running past Rural King and terminating at the intersection of Mall and Banfield roads.
The intent of the project is to divert traffic from Mall Road, based on traffic projections for 20 years in the future. The road will also assist economic development in the area. Bigler noted this achievement will serve as a capstone for an era of the city.
"As Mayor Bob Vincenzo ends his last term in St. Clairsville, it is very appropriate that the project his administration has worked on for over 12 years is coming to fruition," Bigler said. "I extend my thanks to everyone who supported this project for so long, including Roxanne Kane and Lloyd MacAdam at the district level and the many engineers who supported this effort."